Update PIC on Minimig

[BraindeaD]

@Boing:

Not, mine isn't from ACube. Mine was built by a spanish guy that sold me a few months ago. I'm trying to contact to ask him how he flashed the PIC... with or without bootloader... As soon as I know something new about this, I'll put here...

[yaqube]

Hey guys, just to be sure that you do everything correctly please follow the procedure:

- connect the Minimig to an appropriate serial port on a PC
- set jumper to MCU position
- switch the Minimig on
- run Tiny Bootloader program on the PC
- choose an appropriate COM port and rate (115200)
- press the "CheckPIC" button

Now you have ca 4 seconds for your PIC to respond.
The bootloader on the PIC responds to incoming transmission within ca a second after its reset. After that time it jumps to a stored program in the flash memory (Minimig firmware).

- Now you have to press the PGM RESET button on the Minimig to establish transmission with the Tiny Bootloader on the PC.

If you succeed you should see the following message in a log window:

Connected to \\.\COM1 at 115200
  Searching for PIC ...
  Found:18F 252o/452o

If you don't you will see:

Connected to \\.\COM1 at 115200
  Searching for PIC ...Not found,
  ERROR!

The same applies to the FLASH writting. After you choose a hex file you want to write you should press "Write Flash" and immediately reset the PIC on the Minimig.
If you succeed you will see the following message:

Connected to \\.\COM1 at 115200
  HEX: 6 days old, INHX8M,18Fcode, total=14552 bytes.
  Searching for PIC ...
  Found:18F 252o/452o
  WRITE OK  at 20:55,   time:7.173 sec

I hope it will be helpful for those people who want to update the PIC firmware. It is a must if you want the Minimig to be able to write to the ADF images (this feature will be available in the upcoming firmware release).
If you still have problems please describe them as much as possible so I could be able to help you.

[boing4000]

Hi yaqube,

thank you for explaining the update procedure.
I did this again and again, all over again... thats what I see after the time of searching is over:
Connected to \\.\COM1 at 115200
Searching for PIC ...Not found,
ERROR!

When turning on the Minimig on or doing a PGM RESET short after pressing "Check PIC/Write Flash", this message appear:
Connected to \\.\COM1 at 115200
  Searching for PIC ...
  pic sending unknown data: "K" <>  4Dh=M
Check baudrate & Start Write while PIC is not sending serial data (e.g. in reset)
  ERROR!

Means the tiny bootloader PC programm receive the startup string "Minimig Controller build 07-10-2007..." and nothing about bootloader is detected.

Today I was talking to Vesalia (trader) and they also was puzzled to this. A possible explanation is that there is no bootloader in ACubes PIC. This will be reproduce by Vesalia technician and I am currently waiting for response.

thanks again for this detailed depiction! Sometimes when nothing works, one get a bit doubt in everything you touch.
I still hope that thing will soon work.

[Darrin]

@ yaqube:

Thanks for taking the type to type that.  I needed an idiots guide.  :-)

I'll try to update mine when I get home.

[Darrin]

So what's the option if the Acube boards can't be reflashed via the serial port?  Are we kind of buggered?

[koaftder]

Darrin wrote:
So what's the option if the Acube boards can't be reflashed via the serial port?  Are we kind of buggered?

You'll need a pic programmer. You can build one very cheaply that uses the serial port on your pc such as this:

http://www.semis.demon.co.uk/uJDM/uJDMmain.htm


and a better one that does more chips here:
http://www.jdm.homepage.dk/newpics.htm


and the programmer software, use winpicprog:
http://www.winpicprog.co.uk/

Or spend $50 and pickup the "pick kit 2" programmer from Microchip which is really nice and lets you program serial eeproms as well.

[Darrin]

@ koaftder,

Cheers, it looks like I'm spending $50 then.  

Unless someone decides to make some money by reflashing boards...

[Oliver]

I would consider asking Acube to send you a new PIC chip, preprogrammed with the appropriate bootloader. I am not sure what the conditions of sale were/are, but if the contract of sale was to provide the PIC with bootloader, then users should not be out of pocket correcting their mistake.

If Acube deals with large numbers of chips, then their cost per unit will be pretty low, anyway.

It will be interesting to learn the result of Vesalia's tests.

I wouldn't mind programming a PIC for a few people, for the cost of postage. I live in Perth, Western Australia. People could PM me if interested. I would require the PIC, and the hex file with the bootloader assembled/compiled into it. I should note that I don't have a minimig with which to test any PICs, though I would of course verify the code against the provided hex file.

Regards,

Oliver

[TheDaddy]

To all

Has anyone contacted ACube with these findings?

Surely you should be able to flash the PIC usng a PC (through serial) if you need to update it.

Let us know.

[alexh]

When I suggested ACube look into (if they hadnt already) "Tiny Bootloader" many months ago, their response was "We'll evaluate it" which, to me, meant they didnt use it yet. The MiniMig they loaned me is still in it's box (because I dont have a shaver adapter yet) I'll try and get one this week and test it.

I was wondering if people could use their old Elvis smart card programmer to program these PIC's?

Edit: Doesnt look good :-(

ACube users: If you are based in the UK I can reprogram (or make you an alternative) PIC for the cost of postage (Send me a PIC + Stamps + return address).

[straycat]

Oliver & alexh - thanks greatly for offering the PIC reprogramming service.

alexh - I might take you up on this once there's an SD write upgrade available - this is the thing I'm really waiting for!

[Darrin]

@ Oliver & Alex,

It's nice of you guys to offer to help people out like this.  The good old Amiga community spirit in action.  :-)

@ Oliver:  My in-laws live in Perth (and I was there a couple of months ago).  If I make another trip any time soon then I may take you up on that offer otherwise I'll be buying a reprogrammer or a new PIC.

[Oliver]

Hi folk, it's a pleasure to help.

I think Alex's idea of including stamps and self adressed envelope is good. I would be happy to work on that basis.

Darrin wrote:
The good old Amiga community spirit in action...

I don't really have anything to do with Amiga anymore; I've moved on. I still really appreciate good will in any community, which is probably the main reason I still frequent this forum. Also, programming a PIC only takes a few seconds, and I usually have a programmer on my desk.

I still think a well made Willem is a worthwhile investment, for anyone who likes to muck around with hardware. I have had mixed results with things like the JDM, though.

[boing4000]

@Oliver
also thank you for offering that kind service to us "poor" minimig users without bootloader!

Im still waiting for Vesalias response in this matter. My attempts with tiny bootloader has failed all the time, so the only way seems to reflash the whole PIC.
Minimig is using a 18LF252, that require a more complex PIC progger to build. I may have the skills but definitely missing some elektronic parts to set up one right now.

Lets see what the solution is :-)

EDIT:
Just found that very raw PIC18Fxxx progger diagram example:
http://home.earthlink.net/~davesullins/software/pic18f.html
Looks very simple, just a parallel inferface with only one resistor and an external 3V power source.
Do you think out of your experience that could work?

[Fingers]

This may seem like a stupid question & I know it seems to have an obvious answer, but are ACube the only ones commercially producing the Minimig at the moment?

I ask as I'm about to order one from Amigakit.

As for the PIC help offered by Oliver & Alex...that's really cool of you guys.

The assumption here is that my new Minimig will have the latest code anyway, but it's nice to see people helping out for no financial gain

PZ.

[whiteb]

It is a nice thought to make a programmer to reprogram the Pic,  but one thing comes to mind...

If the PIC protection bits are active, then the PIC becomes a ROM.  You cannot Reprogram it.

If the Aqube (sp?) minimig conforms to V1.1, then the Serial port SHOULD work.

Please be warned, the PIC listens for about 1 second on serial before booting the main code.

YOU MUST set the TinyBoot serial software to "Upload" the new firmware, it will then look for the pic, apply power to Minimig and the pic should be found and upload will take place.

One thing i suggest, is to just wait 30 seconds before Removing the power to minimig to remove the serial port, probably not needed, but just to make sure the Flash worked and it has rebooted properly.

I have re-flashed my pic on a number of occasions without hassle, on V1.1, mind you this is my one I built myself.
But as I said, this should not matter if they are selling V1.1 conforming boards.

If its Protection bits..., then you gotta buy a new PIC buddy  As said before, protection bits will PREVENT any further updating.